Dorsomedial prefrontal cortex 5-HT6 receptors regulate anxiety-like behavior

The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) plays a very important role in decision-related and anxiety-related information processing. It has enriched 5-HT6 receptors; however, the precise role of dmPFC 5-HT6 receptors in anxiety remains to be fully investigated. In this study, we injected dmPFC with the 5-HT6 receptor agonist EMD 386088 and antagonist SB 271046 using stereotactic technology. 5-HT6 receptor activation in mice increased time spent in the center area on the open-field test, increased exploration of the open arms on the elevated plus maze test, and increased ratio on the social interaction test. 5-HT6 receptor inactivation induced the opposite effects. In brain slices, EMD 386088 decreased both spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC), while SB 271046 only increased sEPSC. These effects of EMD 386088 and SB 271046 could be reversed by the GABA_A receptor antagonist bicuculline (BMI) and positive allosteric modulator clonazepam (CLZ), respectively. Our results suggest that neurotransmission in the dmPFC by 5-HT6 receptor activation and inhibition may play an important role in anxiety-like behavior, and may provide new insight into the pathological mechanism and potential target of anxiety disorders.     

Anxiety sensitivity moderates the painful effects of feeling burdensome to others

Perceived burdensomeness (PB), the perception of being a burden to others, is associated with pain and physical symptoms. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), the fear of arousal-related sensations, arising from beliefs that the sensations may have adverse personal consequences (physical, cognitive, and social), may increase risk for pain responding, particularly in anxiety-provoking (e.g. socially threatening) contexts. Accordingly, individuals high in AS may have a stronger pain response when experiencing PB than those low in AS. Undergraduate participants (n = 262) completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI-3), and then were randomly assigned to re-live an experience when they were either burdensome to others (burdensome condition) or contributed equally to a group (control condition). Both social and physical self-reported pain were assessed post-manipulation. Those high in AS reported significantly higher pain ratings in the burdensome condition than the control condition; for those low in AS, pain did not change across conditions. In particular, being fearful of the physical repercussions of anxiety (AS physical concerns) while also feeling burdensome to others was associated with greater physical pain. AS may exacerbate the already painful effects of feeling burdensome to others, and may have important implications for the development of future suicide- and pain-related interventions.     

Emotionally conditioning the target-speech voice enhances recognition of the target speech under “cocktail-party” listening conditions

Under a noisy “cocktail-party” listening condition with multiple people talking, listeners can use various perceptual/cognitive unmasking cues to improve recognition of the target speech against informational speech-on-speech masking. One potential unmasking cue is the emotion expressed in a speech voice, by means of certain acoustical features. However, it was unclear whether emotionally conditioning a target-speech voice that has none of the typical acoustical features of emotions (i.e., an emotionally neutral voice) can be used by listeners for enhancing target-speech recognition under speech-on-speech masking conditions. In this study we examined the recognition of target speech against a two-talker speech masker both before and after the emotionally neutral target voice was paired with a loud female screaming sound that has a marked negative emotional valence. The results showed that recognition of the target speech (especially the first keyword in a target sentence) was significantly improved by emotionally conditioning the target speaker’s voice. Moreover, the emotional unmasking effect was independent of the unmasking effect of the perceived spatial separation between the target speech and the masker. Also, (skin conductance) electrodermal responses became stronger after emotional learning when the target speech and masker were perceptually co-located, suggesting an increase of listening efforts when the target speech was informationally masked. These results indicate that emotionally conditioning the target speaker’s voice does not change the acoustical parameters of the target-speech stimuli, but the emotionally conditioned vocal features can be used as cues for unmasking target speech.     

基于团体平衡视角的公立医院改革模式分析

通过分析公立医院改革中的相关利益集团及团体冲突,发现改革的动力主要来自城乡居民和中央政府,阻力主要来自公立医院和地方政府.对公立医院改革的四种模式进行了相关利益集团的利益损益剖析并从团体平衡的视角探究改革政策形成过程的不足、政策内容设计的缺陷.提出政府平衡各团体利益的五种途径:明确改革的价值取向和目标、厘清政府与公立医院的关系、制定游戏规则、协调利益冲突、干预利益格局.     

高血压患者应激反应特点及行为人格的关系研究

为了解高血压患者心血管反应的特征及与健康人群的差异,使用实验和问卷调查的方法对高血压患者和健康居民进行研究。结果显示,两组在任务期和恢复期的心血管反应差异显著（P〈0．05）;病例组的健康实践行为和消极应对方式水平较高,积极应对方式有待提升;健康实践行为和恢复期舒张压呈负相关,积极应对方式和任务期收缩压呈正相关（P〈0...     

意识锚定加工对潜在锚定加工的影响

潜在锚定效应是指阈限下的启动锚定数字导致的锚定效应现象。本研究通过2个实验探讨了意识锚定加工对潜在锚定加工的影响。实验一考察了意识层面的外在锚对潜在锚定效应产生的影响,实验二则进一步探讨了意识层面的自发锚对潜在锚定效应的影响。实验一发现,在不存在外在锚时高锚与低锚的估计有显著性差异;实验二发现,在不存在自发锚时高锚与低锚的估计有显著性差异。研究结果表明,外在锚定加工和自发锚定加工的效应都强于潜在锚定加工。     

Does midbrain urocortin 1 matter? A 15-year journey from stress (mal)adaptation to energy metabolism

This review summarizes some of the milestones of the research on the biological functions(s) of midbrain urocortin 1 (Ucn1) since its discovery 15 years ago. Detailed characterization of Ucn1 in the midbrain revealed its overall significance in food intake and regulation of homeostatic equilibrium and mood under stress. In addition, we have recently found a conspicuous alteration in midbrain Ucn1 levels in brains of depressed suicide victims. Furthermore, from the results from the genetically modified animals, a picture is emerging where corticotrophin-releasing factor promotes the initial reactions to stress, whereas Ucn1 seems to be crucial for management of the later adaptive phase. In the case of imbalance in action of these principle stress mediators, vulnerability to stress-related brain diseases is enhanced.     

Ursolic acid attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced cognitive deficits in mouse brain through suppressing p38/NF-κB mediated inflammatory pathways

Evidence indicates that systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces brain inflammation, ultimately resulting in cognitive deficits. Ursolic acid (UA), a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid, is well known to possess multiple biological functions, including antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. In the present study, we assessed the protective effect of UA against the LPS-induced cognitive deficits in mice. We found that UA significantly improved cognitive deficits of LPS-treated mice in open field, step-through passive avoidance and Morris water maze tasks. One potential mechanism of this action was attributed to the decreased production of pro-inflammatory markers including COX-2, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2 and IL-6 in LPS-treated mouse brain. Mechanistically, UA markedly inhibited LPS-induced IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and p38 activation in mouse brain, but did not affect the activation of TLR4, MyD88, ERK, JNK and Akt. Taken together, these results suggest that UA may be useful for mitigating inflammation-associated brain disorders by inhibiting pro-inflammatory factors production, at least in part, through blocking the p38/NF-κB signaling pathways.     

父母教养方式对应对方式影响:自尊的中介作用

目的研究初二学生父母教养方式、自尊对应对方式的影响。方法使用父母教养方式问卷、自尊量表、中学生应对方式量表对广州及深圳162名初中二年级学生进行施测。结果 (1)各量表不同因子存在不同的性别效应,父亲惩罚(t=2.737,P<0.01)、父亲拒绝否认(t=2.444,P<0.05)、问题指向应对(t=2.196,P<0.05)。(2)父母情感温暖与自尊、问题指向应对有显著的正相关(r=0.350,r=0.490,P<0.01),父亲偏爱对问题指向应对有显著的正相关(r=0.170,P<0.05);而母亲的拒绝否认和严惩与自尊存在显著的负相关(r=-0.198,r=-0.209,P<0.01),但与情绪指向应对有显著的正相关(r=0.235,r=0.258,P<0.01)。(3)父亲情感温暖(β=0.413,P<0.05)和自尊(β=0.230P<0.05)是问题指向应对方式的预测因子,且自尊是中介因素;母亲严惩(β=0.299,P<0.001)、父亲温暖(β=0.158,P<0.05)对情绪指向应对方式存在显著的预测作用。结论不同教养方式、自尊对不同应对方式存在影响。     

Noise exclusion in spatial attention

Precue validity affects the performance of perceptual tasks. These spatial attention effects have been variously attributed to facilitation of processing, capacity allocation, or noise reduction. We used a new attention-plus-external (stimulus)-noise paradigm and model to identify the mechanisms of attention in cue-validity paradigms. A new phenomenon is reported: a large effect of location cue validity in an orientation identification task that specifically occurs when the stimulus is embedded in external (environmental or stimulus) noise. This result identifies the mechanism of the effect as external-noise exclusion, distinguished from stimulus enhancement that manifests itself only in noiseless stimulus environments.